Textbook Reflections-Chapters 11-13 LIT FOR YA LSSL 5385

Chapter 11: Nonfiction
Nonfiction is an umbrella term. Nonfiction encompasses narrative and expository texts, and biographies, memoirs, and autobiographies. There are five ways to evaluate nonfiction:

1. Author Qualifications

• Check the author's website for background information. What makes them qualified to write this book? What kind of books have they written in the past?
• Some authors are considered experts in one field, while others write on a variety of topics.
• Check the author's notes for where and how they completed their research, who they consulted, etc.
• Check the acknowledgement section- who did they turn to to help them research this topic?

2. Accurate Facts

• Don't rely on reviews- often they are left by other readers who are not experts on the topic
• Have kids help with the checking of accuracy: Divide students into groups, give them a couple of books on a topic. Let them cross reference the books for facts mentioned in both books, in one and not the other, etc. and then have the students research those facts for themselves to determine whether the book was accurate or not.
• Verify using vetted lists such as outstanding science tradebooks and outstanding social studies

3. Purpose/Scope

• Some books cover a broad topic that deals with a variety of information 
• Some nonfiction books are narrowed in the scope of the topic covered
• Determine what type of book will best suit your needs, broad vs. narrowed, or both

4. Organization of Information

• Will the organization of the book help kids find the answers they need?
• Text features can assist in time effective researching
• "back matter" (indexes, glossaries, bibliographies, etc.) will assist kids in quickly finding the answers they are looking for

5. Visuals

• Visuals elaborate on the text and break it up to make it easier for kids to read and not feel overwhelmed
• Real life photographs are wonderful visual aids 
• What role visuals play depends on the purpose and scope of the book

Other things to note:

• Delight to Wisdom by Betty Carter and Richard F. Abrahamson is a great resource on helping young adults with nonfiction literature
• Students using a book as a mirror/door/window also applies to nonfiction. Although they might not need to know about a topic for themselves, they might know someone in their lives that they would like to discuss it with
• Reliable Nonfiction authors: Kathleen Krull, James Cross Giblin, Steve Jenkins, Don Brown, Loree Griffin Burns, Seymour Simon

Ask students questions to think critically about a nonfiction text. Examples:

• If you could interview the author, what would you ask them?
• What kind of teacher would the author make?
• Is the title and jacket of the book representative of its' contents? 
• Describe how this book would have been different if it was written 50 years earlier or 50 years later.

I have been fascinated by how young boys tend to find their love of reading through nonfiction books. All of these questions will help me spark discussions and get students to really think critically about their nonfiction books. With the rise of the internet kids often don't even think to look in a book to find their answers, so teaching them all about the features and how to use them is very important- one cannot assume that even older students already know about them.

Chapter 12: Fantasy and Science Fiction

Types of Science Fiction and Fantasy Books:

1. Apocalyptic/ Post Apocalyptic

• Apocalyptic shows the consequences of what is happening as it is happening, whereas post apocalyptic is usually many years later where the current citizens don't know or can't remember what life was like before. Post Apocalyptic shows people as they get back to some sort of standard of living.
• Examples: Tumble And Fall by Alexandra Coutts, A Matter Of Days by Amber Kizer, Monument 14 by Mike Mullin, Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer, The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey, Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith (My fave!), Pure by Julianna Baggott, Vivian Apple At The End Of The World by Katie Coyle

2. Steampunk/Cyberpunk/Biopunk

• Steampunk: Features steam machinery, often set in Victorian England
• Cyberpunk: Features hacking of computers, heavy technology, government agencies
• Biopunk: Spinoff of Cyberpunk that also features government agencies, hacking, and computer technology but uses DNA and science to do the hacking, often a dark atmosphere
• Examples: Killer Of Enemies by Joseph Bruchae, Etiquette Espionage by Gail Carriger, Little Brother by Cory Doctorow, BZRK by Michael Grant, Dearly Departed by Lia Habel

3. Dystopia

• Seen in literature as early as Gulliver's Travels
• Exploded in the 2000's with the Hunger Games Series
• Features propaganda, information that is restricted, surveillance, conformity, society that seems perfect but isn't, individuality is discouraged, some sort of resistance to the government
• Examples: Eve by Anna Carey, The Declaration by Gemma Malley, Bumped by Megan Mccafferty, Scored by Lauren Mclaughlin, Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi, Article 5 by Kristin Simmons

4. Extra Sensory Perception (ESP)

• "second sight" has been around for a long time, seen in Homer's The Odyssey
• Made commonplace in the 1930's 
• Features telepathy, precognition, clairvoyance
• Examples: The Diviners, by Libba Bray, Soulless by Christopher Golden, Clarity by Kim Harrington, Eat Brains Love by Jeff Hart, Freakling by Lana Krumwiede, Wake by Lisa McMann, Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez, Vibes by Amy Kathleen Ryan, Bruiser by Neal Schusterman

5. Robots/Androids/Cyborgs/Artificial Intelligence

• Robots- Machinery
• Androids- Automaton, usually in the form of a human
• Cyborgs- physiologically functioning but aided by electronic devices
• Artificial Intelligence- computers that are learning/making decisions
• Examples: Eve and Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate, Girl Parts by John M. Cusick,Skinned Trilogy by Robin Wasserman (reissued in 2011 as Cold Awakenings Trilogy)

6. Space/Aliens/Extra Terrestrials

• Features alien invasions, alien conspiracies, colonization, first contact, or space opera (drama, over the top, adventure in space)
• Examples: Rules by Stacey Kade, Tune series by Derek Kirk Kim, Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal, The Knife Of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, Across the Universe by Beth Rivas (loved it!), Alienated by Melissa Landers

7. Time Travel/ Parallel Universe

• H.G. Wells popularized time machines in literature
• Not used by magic, but by science and physics
• often involves paradoxes (such as the grandfather paradox), rescuing families or saving the world, some go willingly back in time, while others go accidentally or by force
• Examples: Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren, The Here and Now by Ann Brashares, The Power of Un by Nancy Etchemndy, Through To You by Emily Hainsworth, Choices by Deborah Lynn Jacobs, Prism by Faye Kellermen and Aliza Kellerman

8. Virtual Reality/Gaming

• Often someone is lost in a game, or are being manipulated by a game, or manipulating the minds of others with a game
• Examples: The Eye of Minds by James Dashner, Doomed by Tracy Deebs, Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (loved it for the nostalgia too!), Epic by Conor Kostick, More Than This by Patrick Ness

Rules for Evaluating Fantasy/Sci-Fi:

-Themes need to be universal truths

-Author suspends disbelief

-Fantasy world needs rules 

-Characters must be believable

I found Dr. Perry's lecture fascinating, and didn't even realize many of the books that I have read over the years qualify as fantasy. I also am glad she pointed out the difference between dystopia and apocalyptic/post apocalyptic, because these things were very similar in my mind and I often have a hard time distinguishing between them. I have tons of books from this list on my to be read list now!

Chapter 13: Graphic Novels

Graphic novels are a form/format, NOT a genre.

With the growing popularity of graphic novels, I am glad to learn more about them. I was not shocked that 67% of teachers don't read graphic novels, because I was in that 67% before reading Persepolis and Smile for this class. I never gave them a fair shot before, because I assumed they were mostly comic books and that I wouldn't be able to find something that I liked. However, after reading those two graphic novels, I have already put a few more on hold at my local library to get acquainted with. I enjoyed the visuals as I was reading and how it added so much to the story. I feel like it helps me understand the author's point of view and style better. I am so glad that graphic novels are becoming more and more available in a variety of subgenres, as they are a great motivational tools to get kids to read and love books. I believe Raina Telgemeier has helped many girls discover graphic novels with her Babysitter's Club series and Smile series, along with Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm's Babymouse series. There is less and less of a stigma around girls reading graphic novels (especially in the younger grades) and I think that is absolutely fantastic! I hope that graphic novels continue to explode in popularity and that teachers learn to use them as tools in the classroom and will teach them along with the other forms of literature. Next on my list is Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson, which will be somewhat of a vicarious read for me as I have always wanted to be on a roller derby team (I even tried out for one in college!). I am excited to dive into the world of graphic novels and to help teachers understand how great they can be.